Re: Blue Collar whiskey

I believe 15 dollars was the upper limit for a fifth. There aren't many bourbons in my area that are both that cheep and in my opinion fit for drinkin' neat. EW black, Weller Antique (only one retailer), Dickle no.8 (not a bourbon I know) and perhaps OGD 86 and Old forester 86 if on sale. I'll have to check prices of those last two next time I'm out and about.

I tend to have expensive tastes, my Dad always says I have champaign tastes and a beer budget. But to me nothing is more blue collar than WT 101, not too expensive at 17.99-18.99 a fifth, most decently stocked watering holes carry it; even out here in the pucker-brush, good enough to drink neat but not to expensive to let someone use as a mixer.

Re: Blue Collar whiskey

I would like to suggest Ezra Brooks 90 proof. It's a little thin but for the price (just under $16 incl. tax for 750 ml) it's very pleasant. Nice nose, nice palate, nice burn. I'm enjoying it now neat, with some good, classic country music.

Re: Blue Collar whiskey

Originally Posted by whiskeyhatch

I would like to suggest Ezra Brooks 90 proof. It's a little thin but for the price (just under $16 incl. tax for 750 ml) it's very pleasant. Nice nose, nice palate, nice burn. I'm enjoying it now neat, with some good, classic country music.

I'll throw in with you on that one. It's under $12 here per 750ml, and at 90 proof you have the option of adding your own water/Coke. Not bad at all. But, as Chuck C. would note, I wish I knew for sure who distilled it -- it's a David Sherman/Luxco brand.

Re: Blue Collar whiskey

I'll second both Tim and Whiskeyhatch on the Ezra Brooks 90 proof. Yes a little thin, but a nice bourbon at this price point. It would be my 2nd-place winner behind AAA 10-Star (also at 90 proof) which, to me, has more body and complexity. $12.90/L for 10-Star, $10.95/750ml for the Ezra Brooks here in Virginia.

Re: Blue Collar whiskey

(In response to # 65) I am not sure exactly who distills this stuff. But I was inspecting the bottle to see if I could find out (it says Ezra Brooks Distilling - Louisville, Kentucky) and found something rather confusing. The front of the bottle says 'Kentucky Staight Bourbon' but on the side it says that it is charcoal filtered. It's my understanding that this process knocks it out of the Bourbon classification. Is that not correct?

Re: Blue Collar whiskey

Originally Posted by whiskeyhatch

(In response to # 65) I am not sure exactly who distills this stuff. But I was inspecting the bottle to see if I could find out (it says Ezra Brooks Distilling - Louisville, Kentucky) and found something rather confusing. The front of the bottle says 'Kentucky Staight Bourbon' but on the side it says that it is charcoal filtered. It's my understanding that this process knocks it out of the Bourbon classification. Is that not correct?

Heaven Hill probably distills it for Luxco, as HH is the largest custom/bulk distiller in the bourbon industry, but there are other possibilities.
As for the charcoal filtration, almost every bourbon under 100 proof undergoes chill-filtering, which uses activated charcoal -- so, no, since filtering is subtracting from, not adding to, the bourbon, it doesn't affect the whiskey's status.